The Poplars Nursery School Ltd

Inspection of The Willows Pre-School Nursery Portland Court, Sherwood, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG5 6EX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Children show positive relationships with staff. When they arrive, they are greeted warmly by staff, who offer open arms for cuddles when children need this. Children are supported to understand how they are unique. For instance, staff help them to identify different hair styles. Children learn that their hair is shorter because it has curls and bounces upwards.

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The provision is good

Children show positive attitudes in their play and are supported to persevere when they struggle to find solutions to problems. Staff support children during these times, offering suggestions. When children use pens to create artwork, they remember previous learning, explaining to visitors that they need to put the lids back on pens or else they will dry out. Children invite staff to join their play, who model how to play cooperatively with others. Children show kindness to their peers, such as by picking daisies in the garden for them.

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The provision is good

Children who speak English as an additional language benefit from staff finding out words in their home languages and using these, alongside English, to support their understanding of routines when they first start. Children's home traditions are celebrated in the pre-school, helping children to have a sense of belonging and for other children to learn about other people's cultures.

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need to do better?

n Staff are supported to build on their knowledge of how to help children learn. For instance, they attend staff meetings to increase and embed their understanding of the curriculum. This includes staff helping children to explore and investigate nature. For instance, when staff help children to notice squirrels and ladybirds in the garden, they explain what the animals eat. n Staff are skilful at challenging children's learning, such as to develop their physical skills. For instance, they provide children with bottles that squirt water. Children use the muscles in their hands to make marks on the ground. Staff ask children to extend their abilities, such as accuracy, when they hold the bottles at a different angle to squirt the water into hoops that are on a wall. n Staff gather information about children's interests from parents. This helps them to build on children's interests when they first start and throughout their time in

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need to do better?

the pre-school. However, staff do not use information obtained from parents about children's abilities when they first start or ask for ongoing information about children's abilities at home. This will help staff to plan more precisely for children's development. n Prior to children moving on to school, staff arrange for teachers to visit the children in the pre-school. This helps to develop children's confidence as they get to know and interact with the person who will be caring for them.

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need to do better?

31 July 2025 n Children show that they understand staff's expectation for their behaviour. This includes children sitting when they eat, washing their hands prior to eating and using good manners. If children do show any negative behaviours, staff help them to understand how to play positively, such as to use their feet to kick balls and their hands to show kindness. n Overall, staff support children's communication skills well. For example, they talk to children when they play alongside them. However, sometimes, staff's interactions do not fully build on children's language skills. For example, at times, staff say the incorrect sounds of letters and when asking some questions, staff do not wait for children to respond. n Improvements have recently been made to the pre-school to increase learning opportunities for children outdoors. For instance, staff provide experiences for children to learn how foods grow, such as beans and herbs. Children help staff

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need to do better?

to water plants and explain to visitors that it will make them grow. Staff provide children with herbs to explore in their play, such as in their role play experiences and when making pretend potions. Children give herbs to the cook to include in the nutritious meals she offers, promoting healthy eating.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n strengthen partnerships with parents, using what parents already provide when children start and gathering ongoing information about children's abilities at home, to help plan more precisely for their development n support staff to develop their interactions with children to help build on their language skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY257438 Local authority Nottingham Inspection number 10398424 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 42 Name of registered person The Willows Pre-School Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0115 9676051 Date of previous inspection 21 October 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The Willows Pre-School Nursery registered in 1993 and is situated in Sherwood, Nottingham. The pre-school employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, five at level 3 and one with qualified teacher status. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The area manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed how staff implement the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n Children spoke to the inspector throughout the inspection. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the area manager of an activity taking place outdoors. n The inspector held a meeting with the area manager. She reviewed relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school. n Parents shared their views about the pre-school with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

31 July 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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